Five-Knuckle String

Count them out loud: the fifth is the one they remember.

Mode

Reflex

Used with

Unarmed

Stamina

8

Cooldown

none

Range

1.05 tiles

Price

140 gold

Needs first

Third Blow

What it does

Unarmed, the core Third Blow becomes a five-blow string on the core's rhythm: a fresh LMB press from 60 % of the last punch's recovery to 0.25 s after it ends (buffered) keeps the count, and the core's resets break it (a press too early, a held repeat or a charge, a dodge, a hit for 10 % of max health, a swap, a punch that hits no foe). Blows 1-2 are plain, blow 3 x1.1, blow 4 x1.15 and 4 poise, blow 5 x1.6 and 8 poise with knock 220 and a 1.5-tile fling of an S or M body (Hard Ground). The fifth costs 8 stamina instead of the punch's 5. Then the count starts again (it never also makes a Third Blow). In perfect rhythm a string is 5.85 x roll in 1.35 s against 5.0 for mashing (+17 % a second; the core's Third Blow gives about +10 % over five blows) and +4 % per stamina (28 against 25), plus the fifth's fling and poise. Slip Jab, Rising Uppercut and Ring-Fever read the count.

Edge: Quick Count

The rhythm window opens at 40 % of the recovery and stays open 0.35 s after it.